Track of the Day: Myles McCormack - 'One Day/The River Rises'

Prolific musician and songwriter, Myles McCormack, has today released two poignant new tracks, titled 'One Day' and 'The River Rises'.

Beyond his work as a founding member of forward-pushing trad-folk outfit Lonesome George, McCormack has carved out his own place as a skilful storyteller and captivating performer.

Following the release of his debut solo album, Real Talk, the acclaimed Belfast-based artist shared previous single 'By Demons' last August. McCormack kicked off 2020 with a US tour, singing and playing mandolin with Réalta.

Firmly rooted within the Irish folk tradition, the multi-instrumentalist expertly marries reflective subject matter with delicate instrumentation to offer a song of peace, compassion and hope.

'One Day' explores the processing of grief while expressing the various ways of coping with loss through art and togetherness.

“This song touches on a few ideas but it’s broadly about making art for the sake of friendship, community and mental health. I tuned the guitar in a way I’d never thought of doing before in order to make the main motifs work.

"I worked with Ben McKenzie on fiddle to develop the arrangement, then recorded in Start Together studios with Ben McAuley, whose ear for detail really helped maintain the sense of poignancy on this recording. Finally I recorded a backing vocal by Romy McKeever, whose voice has an honesty which intimately connects to the song.”

'The River Rises' is a delicate and winding depiction of the inevitability of natural processes and a call to action to prevent further climate destruction. Using multiple layers of guitar to decorate the lyrics, the song expands throughout from a sparing motif at the beginning to a luscious river of guitars, drums and piano.

“'The River Rises' is inspired by two things; very rainy autumn days in Belfast, and a feeling of helplessness in the face of climate emergency. The lyrics describe being overwhelmed by the inevitability of natural processes. Regardless of this ominous pretext I have actually attempted to arrive at a feeling of comfort and optimism, through the texture and melody which develops in the latter half of the song."

Listen to the beautiful double A-side below: